Six Months to Departure
by flippinhulk
Summary: Rory and Logan have been married for eight years and suddenly find themselves lacking love and wanting a divorce. They have six months until the divorce is final to find themselves and each other in the process.
1. Prelude

It started with the lack of touch while sleeping and then it ended with sleeping in different bedrooms. After eight years of marriage and two children, Rory and Logan Huntzberger had given up.

Rory Gilmore at 22 said 'yes' reluctantly to Logan's proposal at her graduation, and on the way to San Francisco, decided to stop in Las Vegas and elope. Standing beside her on the altar was the boy of who was suddenly a man, admitting his undying love while slipping on the ring. The first three years of marriage were blissful and without a doubt full of love. Rory discovered she was pregnant on the eve of her 25th birthday and had a feeling that the rest of her life was bound to be somewhat happy as long as she had Logan.

When giving birth to their first baby, Logan held Rory's hand with the assurance that she would be alright and with all the love he had in his heart for her. She screamed and cried in pain, mouthing off to her mother behind Logan about how she failed to mention never to get pregnant. The baby's head was crowning and the doctor needed one more strong push from Rory. Logan tried coaching her, but obscenities shot out of her mouth like rapid fire.

"Ace, you have to push. One more time," shouted Logan over Rory's screams.

"That's easy for you to say, bastard. Why couldn't you have worn a condom?" The pain increased, for Rory and Logan.

"You'll be glad that I didn't once you see how gorgeous our kid is going to be. Now, Ace just try." Rory groaned in pain.

"You jump, I jump, Jack." Rory gripped Logan's hand harder and his face turned bright red from the excruciating but surprising pain coming from Rory's grip. Their first son was born. Jack Elias Huntzberger. Like clockwork, Rory gave birth to another son the following year, Charles Richard. Although rough times where inevitably before them after the birth of Charlie, they seemed to be able to deal with it. Even with constant fighting, at the end of the night Logan would always find his way to Rory's side of the bed and put his arm around her in which she would snuggle into his body, not as a way to apologize, but to let each other know they could get through anything. A downfall was suddenly before them during their sixth year of marriage. Logan would rarely move to the other side of the bed at night. It stopped altogether when Rory no longer contoured herself when Logan made the effort. The time before night fell had gotten worse between them and their relationship suffered.

The next year Logan and Rory fought only once a week, but their actions towards each other all together took a dive. Love was no longer apart of their vocabulary, and not to mention the phrase "terms of endearment" as well. Ace was never used again after that year and Rory took random trips out to Connecticut with the boys being with her family of which always seemed to bring her happiness.

Now into their eighth year with Jack being five years old and Charlie being four, Logan slept in the guest bedroom on the main floor. Now into their eighth year the damage had already been done. Now into their eighth year they were ready for a divorce.

"I don't want the boys seeing us like this...sleeping in different rooms, barely talking to each other."

"I know it's been hard, but it'll get better."

"Rory, you just don't get it. We're lying to each other. We don't love each other anymore."

Rory looked down at her feet defeated, "I know."

"Alright then," whispered Logan, "We'll get the same lawyer. It should be quick and satisfactory."

"Good to know."

Their biggest problem was miscommunication. For example, Logan only said, "we don't love each other anymore" just to see Rory's reaction and if it was true on her part. He could not fathom that she confirmed that they didn't love each other any longer, making it seem as though she did not love him. On the other side of it, Rory only said 'I know' because she thought it would not have mattered to say if she still loved him since it seemed that he didn't love her anymore by his words.

At the very end of the conversation, Logan went on a whim and stepped closer to Rory. He grabbed her and was surprised that she squeezed him back with enough intensity as he had to her. Thinking that she was just being polite, Logan brushed off the thought that she still had feeling towards him.

"I don't know, Rory. I don't know." said Logan, slightly muffled by his face in her neck.

At the attorney's office everything was decided. The most important was that they would have joint custody of the boys. Rory refused to take spousal support from Logan, and a part of her wanted to say 'no' to when he said for her and the boys to stay in their old house.

"I want Rory to keep the house."

"I don't think that will be necessary, Logan," said Rory, taking another sip of her water.

"Why?"

"I don't want to stay there."

The attorney decided to chime in.

"Why don't you want to stay there, Mrs. Huntzberger?" Rory cringed inside when the attorney addressed her as that.

"There are too many memories…" Logan looked at Rory and she stared back, looking into his lifeless eyes. Rory took a deep breath, "Actually, it'll be okay. I'd like to keep it."

Six months until their divorce was final. Six months until all their old memories were to become simply meaningless. Six months until a decade spent together was to stop abruptly.

Six months for Rory and Logan to fall in love with each other once again.


	2. Orange and White Striped Boxers

While sitting on the bottom stair waiting for the boys to come down, Rory was urged to think about the stressful day ahead. Logan was getting the last of things for his new apartment downtown and the boys started soccer. On top of all that, she had an interview with Barack Obama at 1pm without any questions or thoughts prepared. This day is going to suck, she thought while noticing her right manolo was scuffed. The boys came in a dash down the stairs, ready to get on with the day, unlike their mother. Charlie went to preschool and Jack was in kindergarten both at Campton Academy. Although prestigious at best, the boys knew that it did not come with a side of being stuck up.

She helped them in their booster seats in the car Logan picked out. She put her arm around the passenger arm rest when reversing, just like Logan. His stations were on preset. She was going to die.

"This seriously can't be happening."

"What mom? What did we say about mumbling?" asked Charlie; mocking his mother while referring to an argument they had a week before. Rory had to smile.

"Don't worry about it, Chuck."

"Don't call me that, Mommy!"

"Go to school," laughed Rory, pulling up to the drop off lane, "Who loves you boys?"

Jack decided it was about time he chimed in, "Of course you do. We love you too." He was exactly like his father. She could feel the tears well up in her eyes, but she refused to let them prevail. Barack Obama had to be on her mind, not her husband.

------

Logan decided that pressing the snooze button for the 17th time was too much and got out of bed. He squinted his caramel eyes at the clock, surprised at the time of 2pm.

"I guess I'm not going to work today."

He stood up tall and stretched, rubbing his stomach. Rory used to do that to wake him up. He shook his head and ran his hands through his hair. Rory once said that his bed head was his sexiest look. He opened his new dresser and pulled out a pair of boxers: orange and white striped, Rory's favorite. Getting pissed off at himself for the reminiscing, Logan made a mental note of picking up some boxer briefs. 2:05pm and Logan was clad in sweat pants and a Yale T-shirt ready to pick up his last items at the old home. Rory's home. Rory. He could not stop thinking about her. Sonic Youth just happened to be playing on shuffle in his car. A panic attack was coming on. Ripping the iPod out of the socket and throwing out the window made it worse. The attack was on its way and denial was just the beginning. Arriving at the house: the beginning of the end.

Thinking of her made him fumble with the house key. The panic attack was fully fledged now once he noticed a picture frame face down. Walking closer to it, he failed to hear someone walking down the stairs. He lifted the photo.

"Logan? I thought you were coming at 10," barked Rory, still shaken by the thought of an intruder.

Logan yawned, "I just woke up."

"I can tell. You look pretty messed up."

"Well, you look gorgeous." Logan digressed. There was just something about Rory in business attire that made him go wild. Basically Rory just made him go wild. He still thought she was insanely gorgeous and sexy despite his growing resentment towards her.

"So..." Rory refused to look at him.

"Why are you here? What happened to work?"

"I could say the same to you."

"I'm taking a personal day. Well..." Rory finally looked up at the disheveled but handsome Logan.

"I went to work, had to do an interview, and I bombed it so I decided to come back to the house and relax."

"I'm taking this. It's all I want." Logan held up the picture frame of Rory and Logan from her 21st birthday party. Rory felt like explaining at why it was face down, but Logan didn't give her time to explain.

"You're a bitch, you know that?" He was out. Rory shook her head and fell to the floor crying, remembering why it was facing down first. Driving back to his lonely apartment, Logan let the tears fall. "You're a pussy, Huntzberger." He looked at the picture again and then put it face down. It was too much to handle. He began to understand Rory's original motive for leaving it face down, but anger stepped in and he refused to believe her.

------

His new apartment was spacious. The apartment was expensive. The apartment was empty. Of course it had brand new furniture, but it didn't have Rory or Jack or Charlie. He was not used to change. Tomorrow would be a better day. Jack and Charlie were coming over, but Logan still felt empty. He spent the rest of the day downing a bottle of scotch and choosing a place to put the picture. A bell rang and he awoke again, if it was extremely early since it was so dark. He was about to fall back to his slumber, until he heard a voice.

"Logan, open the door!" Rory was at the door.

Logan tried to stand up, but stumbled back to the floor. He was obviously tipsier than he previously thought he would be. Finally opening the door, three people were staring at him in the same confused expression. The two littler ones were clad in soccer attire while the tallest person's expression changed quickly to disappointment.

"Boys? Go tour the new place. Take your bags," Rory gave the boys a shove, "I need to talk to your father."

She grabbed his arm and searched around the apartment looking for a room with the thickest door so they wouldn't be heard. Reaching his bedroom, Logan stumbled on his feet and fell onto the bed, taking Rory with him. He could feel a sensation and the sober Logan would've gotten off of her quickly, but drunken Logan thought of something quite different. His lips attacked her neck with insanity and his right hand went to her wool pants' zipper. Shocked at his actions, Rory was delayed with her kick to his "manly" parts as he fell to the wooden plank floor.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Okay, I'll be honest. I'm drunk." Rory looked down at her top seam to her pants to find it ripped.

"Why Logan? The boys were supposed to come over tonight. You knew that." Logan sobered up slightly.

"No. You said 'the 20th'. That's tomorrow."

"Today is the 20th."

"Then why couldn't you say 'tomorrow' yesterday when we were talking? You always do that. You say the date. I hate that."

"Well, I hate when you're drunk. We're even. The boys were excited about staying. Great. Now I have to explain to them that their dad is shit-faced and horny and that is why we need to leave," stated Rory.

"They can stay."

"Are you kidding me?"

"All of you guys. Just stay here."

Rory contemplated the thought. "Only if you try not to rape me again."

"What ever happened to break up sex?"

"Shut up."

Rory walked out of the room and straight to the kitchen to get food for the boys (including Logan). Jack and Charlie already found their living quarters and were hammering away at whatever toy interested them. Crazily searching through the seemingly empty cabinets, Rory could not believe at how empty his new apartment really was. She turned around defeated, only to see one wall not empty. The picture of Rory and Logan on her 21st birthday hung on the wall, slightly crooked but defiantly alone.

"I know you hate it, but I don't." Rory turned around from the photo to an assertive Logan.

"I don't hate it."

"You gave up on the picture. You hate it."

"That doesn't mean that I hate it."

"You gave up on me. You hate me."

"You gave up on me too, Logan. And I don't hate you."

"I don't hate you either." Logan looked around, wanting to go back in time and fix things, but shook his head at his stupidity.

"We need food."

"...and coffee!!!" Jack and Charlie slid into the kitchen thanks to the hardwood floor and brand new socks, smashing into Rory.

"Nutcases. Just like my mother. How 'bout I go give the boys a bath and you order pizza and/or Chinese?" said Rory, motioning towards Logan.

He nodded and looked around for the phone. The boys ran towards the bathroom to their rooms, already familiar with their new home. Still feeling as though she needed to explain herself, Rory grabbed Logan's arm before going to join the boys.

"And just so you know, it's too hard to look at the picture-for me that is. I always remember what I was thinking at that moment, that I was truly in love with you. I had no doubts in my mind about the future with you. And now? That's all shot to hell, isn't it?"

Logan tried to think of words to say to comfort her in some way. He thought the same back then and it was the two of them of who were to blame. They did not try hard enough, or at least they weren't meant to try. Either way, looking into her placid and hard blue eyes gave him sudden hope, but Rory brushed past Logan to give their sons a bath. Logan excused his 'sudden hope' to drunkenness, took the picture down, and got a hold of a phone.

------

Dinner was pleasant, meaning it was quiet. Dinner all together was extremely rare for this Huntzberger family in particular, but when it was together, it was full of turmoil and talk. Rory and Logan looked down at their plates the whole time, or they would divulge in conversation with the boys, but never with themselves. Both of them felt embarrassed-embarrassed that their little boys had to have two different rooms at two different houses. Although this was the case, and possibly would be subject for ridicule at school, Rory and Logan both were convinced that this was better than constant fighting.

Logan did have something in the empty house: a t.v., blue ray disc player, and Willy Wonka. He took the movie on purpose because he knew it was the boys' favorite and he had secretly grown to love it through the forced watchings by Rory. It was the boys' idea to watch a movie as a family and it was hard to refuse their puppy dog faces. After the boys changed into pajamas, Jack sat on one of the arm chairs, with Logan on the other, while Charlie and Rory got comfortable on the couch.

Trying to stay awake in his drunken slumber, Logan watched Rory watch the movie. Since she had seen the movie well over 100 times, the funny scenes now were exemplified with a smile by her face instead of laughter. Though the smiles more like a smirk, nevertheless it was still a smile. Logan passed out five minutes later and like clockwork for little kids after 9 o'clock, the boys were out as well in the middle of the movie. Rory shook her head and contemplated still continuing with the movie (since it was after all her favorite), but shut it off and carried the boys off to their rooms.

Setting Charlie down on his respectful bed caused him to awake and stare into the eyes that were exactly as his own.

"Hey Charlie, go to bed. I love you." Rory kissed him, but he kept his eyes on her even as she pulled away.

"Is this our new house?" Her heart broke. It was hard to understand for a four year old.

"Well, it's your new house, but not mine. You remember what Daddy and I told you. Daddy and I are not going to be living together anymore, but we're still going to be your Mom and Dad. It's going to be like normal. Okay?" Rory kissed his forehead.

"I'll let you call me Chuck if we all live together. Like normal."

He was smart. Her eyes were burning and Rory could tell what were coming. She whispered goodnight and got out of the room shuffling towards the bathroom on the opposite side of the apartment. She cried. And cried. And cried. For a girl who always had the answers, she didn't have any now. She didn't want this for her life. She wanted a family, but not a broken one. They would get through this, she thought. Though she thought this, her tears did not falter in falling quickly down her face.

Logan awoke to the sounds of a faint cry and he went straight towards the sound. Opening the door broke his heart more than it already was. He stared for a while into Rory's eyes before saying or doing anything, afraid that if he did, he would do the wrong thing. He sat next to her and held her hand, knowing that they were getting a divorce already and worrying about doing the wrong thing was not a part of the equation any longer.

"You're up," mumbled Rory.

"I'm up." Logan refused to look at her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Sure. Well Rory, you can't blame me for this."

"What?"

"For us. For how we're done. About 8 years together and it's just coming to an end."

"Who said I was blaming you?"

"It just sounded like you were from when we were talking before."

"Okay, I was never implying that when I was talking to you and I'm surprised you remember that." Logan laughed.

"So I had too much to drink. You can't ridicule me about that anymore by the way. We're separated." Rory decided to break her streak of sadness and smiled.

"So this divorce thing is a good thing?" Rory tried to stay optimistic.

"Yeah, right? No more fighting because in essence we don't need to fix ourselves for each other anymore," Logan looked at Rory, "It's good."

"Yeah. It's good. And I blame both of us for our downfall. For your information."

"We didn't try hard enough. You know? Like it got to a point where I just didn't care to what you had to say. And I'm sure that was the same for you."

"Oh I know. Like every little thing that you said or did made me want to strangle you."

------

_Year Five:_

_Rory looked down at the toothpaste tube while washing__ her face and suddenly got a brush of anger through her __head._

_"Logan!"_

_Logan straightened his tie while walking to the__ bathroom, knowing that he was in trouble about __something. _

_"Seriously, Logan?__ You can't put a cap on?"_

_"Someone is a bitch today..." Logan walked out._

_------ _

Both of them laughed while remembering the stupid fights they would get into for no apparent reason.

"Wow. I was a bitch."

"Oh yeah you were." Logan noticed the ripped seam on the top of Rory's pants. He shouldn't have jumped her, but secretly he wanted to do it again.

"Well, you were an asshole too."

------

_Year Seven:_

_For two hours Rory had tried to get a hold of Logan at__ the office and on his cell phone. To no prevail, he__ was not answer, so she decided to see him at his__ office. Logan's secretary called into his office __telling him that his wife was there. He shook his head and__ told her to let Rory in. _

_"Thanks for answering my calls, asshole." Rory sat at__ a chair across from him. _

_"I just got out of a meeting. I was about to call__ people back." Logan turned to the computer screen."I'm sure."_

_"Sure." _

_"Well you do know that the boys are visiting__ mom this week so that works pretty well for tonight."_

_"What do you mean, Rory?"_

_"I made reservations at 7pm, so that's pretty good. It gives__ us enough time to change and such."_

_"What do you mean, Rory?"_

_"It's our anniversary. I thought we'd do something.__ Like every other year."_

_"Shit. Rory, that can't happen. I actually have to __leave for London in about three hours. I'll be back in__ two days. Can you change the reservation?"_

_"Sure Logan..." She was fed up. Fed up with the constant changing of times to spend together. It was getting to a point to where she would have to notify Logan a week before the event in order for him to consider it. Mrs. Logan Huntzberger did not feel like she should make appointments with her own husband. "How about we just get a divorce so it'll just work out for your business schedule?"_

_"Why are you getting angry about this?"_

_"Because it's not that you forgot our anniversary,__it's that you're not trying to actually have it. Like you won't even try to hold off going to London until the morning." _

_"Why would I want to try to have our anniversary? It__ would just end in us fighting anyway? __And you know, I am tired of that. Maybe you're right? Maybe we should get a divorce. Then we wouldn't have to spend this day each year remembering of a mistake we made in Vegas."_

_"...Well I'm glad you regret having our boys. I'm sure__ they'll love to hear that one."_

_Rory got up while Logan realized that he didn't think__ of that side of it. _

_"That's not what I meant! I take it back!"_

_-----  
_

Logan reached for Rory's hand and curled his fingers over hers. She responded in tightening the tops of her fingers over his. Rory immediately felt better about everything. It was a good idea that they were getting a divorce. They possibly were not ever meant to grow old together.

"You know, Huntzberger, you're still kind of an asshole." Rory looked innocent onto Logan.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I still remember you trying to rape me earlier." Rory laughed. Logan felt embarrassed now that he was somewhat sober.

"I'm sorry. I'm quite the horn dog when I'm drunk."

"That's actually the reason I tolerated your drinking when we were together."

"Yelling at me and not talking to me is what you call tolerating my drinking?"

"Well...It always ended up in sex."

Logan was confused as to if this was a let on for possible sex. He was always up for sex with Rory. Before Rory came, he actually was contemplating the thought that their marriage would've been over years ago if the sex was just good and not astronomically amazing.

"Well, I'm going to get going, Logan." Rory got up and moved out of the bathroom, not wanting Logan to follow her. She wanted to get out of there. She picked up her keys and purse and turned towards Logan.

"You're leaving? I thought you said that you'd stay?"

"The boys are asleep and you should go to bed too. It's all good now."

"Well..." Logan was somewhat disappointed. He couldn't get his mind off her ripped seam. He couldn't get his mind off of them possibly having sex; but most of all, he liked the idea of Rory being in the same house again as him, even if it was for only one night.

"Okay, well goodnight, Logan," quickly said Rory, wanting to get out of there before she changed her mind. He looked solemn and sad and disappointed, but staying was not a good idea. It probably would've ended up in some drinking on her part as well as continued drinking on his then sex with a follow up of an awkward morning. She kissed his cheek and walked out the door.

Logan shook his head and ran his hand through his hair, also apparent of how the night quite possibly could've continued with Rory and himself. He was glad that it didn't once he thought of the morning. He didn't like awkward. They had a good talk and came to a solid ground about the both of them. They were better now that they weren't together. Even if he had thought that they were meant to be together, it took a lot more than thinking to keep a couple together. This was their end.

He went back to the picture that he had taken down from his wall of the two of them and put it back up, although perfectly straight this time. He was grateful of their marriage. They had beautiful and smart kids of whom got practically everything from their mom except their way to smirk and charm and not to mention there were some great moments with Rory. The picture reminded him of that. It was a visual gratification. Logan smiled and went to his empty king size bed, remembering those great moments: the moments that were the best of his life, well aware of the new chapter both of them were about to face.

------

Alright, I feel as though I might want to explain myself about a couple of things:

1) This is not the end of this story. Reading over this chapter made me feel as though the writer would pose it as a closure chapter. In a way it is, but it's more like closure for how they used to be and it's going to start new. They're going to fall in love with each other again in a different way. Basically. So hold on.

2) The formatting is a bit weird. I just got a new computer and let me tell you: mac's make things a little difficult. I'm going to use my other laptop later and change some things.

3) Happy Holidays. This is my present to you. I realize it should've been in yesterday, but I finished it yesterday. So shed some holiday glow on me with some reviews lol. Because after all, this story is motivated by the readers. You guys influence this story. Let me know how you want it to be played out. I'll see what I can do.


	3. Supermarket Reality

Turning from the frozen foods section to aisle 12 was possibly not Rory Huntzberger's greatest idea. She had meant to skip aisle 12 and go on to 13, but for some reason she chose to take a risk and see what aisle 12 had in store for her. What it had was a random package cart of brand new boxes of mac and cheese that she failed to notice. In less than three seconds her cart collided with it, resulting in a clutter of blue and gold boxes scattered around the tiled floor.

"Are you kidding me?" Rory shook her head and reminded herself of her clutz-esque nature. Just as she was bending over to pick them up, two blonde haired forearms joined in.

"Way to create a mess. You're lucky I actually need these."

Rory turned her head and saw her scruffy husband smirking as he piled boxes into his arms.

"Yeah, me too." Rory looked around, surveying the area of any possible onlookers who could've been chuckling in her inconvenience.

"Don't worry. I'm the only martyr. The rest of them were laughing too hard to stay."

Rory picked up the remaining boxes and threw them in her cart, embarrassed even though Logan was blatantly kidding. He neatly stacked the boxes in his cart full of more stacks of frozen pizzas and laughed to himself. He liked the fact that Rory had turned red even though she knew he was kidding. She was still embarrassed that even he saw.

"So what are you doing here, Logan?"

"I decided that going out to eat was getting annoying. Well, the boys were sick of it."

It had been three weeks now since Logan's first couple of nights in his new place, and he was still without anything in his cabinets. He managed to buy more movies and video games for the boys (and himself), but food never came up. Neither did Rory after that one night three weeks ago. Logan would wait in the lobby on every Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock. Rory would double park the car in front and get them set with backpacks and suitcases. She'd kiss them goodbye and promise to call them later while both would plead with her to take them back home, but then she'd open the lobby door for them and they'd see their father. Running straight into his open arms, they would forgot about wanting to go home and start rambling on about what their father missed in the past day since they talked on the phone. Logan would call every night when they weren't with him strictly at four, right around when they'd get home from school. They always knew it was him and they would answer. Rory would do the same when they were at Logan's. Logan would drive the kids to school on Tuesdays while Rory would pick them up. It was a cycle that was getting to be comfortable, but somewhat weird since Logan and Rory hadn't had any communication in three weeks except by a "sorry" hallmark card Logan sent home with the boys after the first week.

"This is weird." Rory always felt as though she needed to point out the obvious.

"I know. This shouldn't be weird, should it?"

"No, this should be weird." The fact that they had separate carts was a major factor.

"Well, not really." Logan knew that this couldn't continue, "Rory, we're getting a divorce. I really don't want to end up being those parents who never talk and always feel awkward when they're forced to. Divorce is not necessarily a good thing, but we've come to a solid ground, right? Those awkward ex-spouses are those who didn't come to a solid ground. We need to be the divorcees who are friends. I know it's going to be weird, but we need to have it not weird. It'll be better that way for Jack and Chuck, as well as you and me."

Rory contemplated the thought and agreed with Logan. She didn't want Jack and Chuck to think that they hated each other and she didn't want that either. She didn't want to think Logan hated her and that she hated him. At a time, she did, but they already discussed it to be a past feeling, not present.

"So you'd like us to be friends?"

"Yeah, like as if I was a girl and you were a guy. And we'll do friend things."

"Like what? Shopping?"

"Well, yeah. Here: we're shopping. Let's shop."

Logan led the way through the rest of aisle 12 with Rory right in tow.

"How've you been?" said Logan in attempts to break the awkward silence which was a result from thinking at how they were going to do this. They never really had a decent conversation in the past year.

"Good."

"Yeah, that's what the boys said."

Rory smiled politely thinking of how loyal her little boys were. The truth was that she was not 'good'. She was getting by the best she could. She got a brand new car since Logan picked her old one out. She removed all the pictures from the house. She avoided calls from her mother (well, basically everyone). The boys would sleep with her every night to make her not feel so alone. She was a wreck. Chuck had caught on to Rory crying one day while she was sitting on the couch sifting through movies in a box (trying to find Logan's favorite so it could be disposed of).

_"Mommy, what are you doing?"_

_Rory wiped her tears and tightened her robe. "I'm just looking for something. Would you like to help me?"_

_"Sure." Charlie annunciated and extended the first syllable._

_"You know Dad's favorite movie. I'm going to need it."_

_"Why? Wanna watch it?"_

_"Definitely not," Rory mumbled. She remembered how she was once again being hypocritical since she told the boys to not mumble. "No."_

_"Why are you going crazy?"_

_"What?"_

_"Jack said you're going crazy." Charlie giggled._

_"Jack!" Rory called out for her older son to try to set the record straight with their growing minds. Jack walked out of the playroom nonchalantly. "So Jack, you told your brother I'm going crazy?"_

_"Well, you are." Charlie moved the box of movies with his foot and shuffled backwards towards Rory, positioned himself in front of her intending to be lifted on her lap. She complied._

_"I'm not. I'm just sad."_

_"Did Dad make you sad?"_

_"Yes," thought Rory, but she knew it was her own fault as well. "No, Jack. But do not mention that I'm sad to your father. Don't tell him. That goes for you too, Charles."_

_The boys nodded in agreement and Jack stuck out his pinky._

_"Pinky square, Mom." Rory had to laugh._

_"Pinky swear." Rory linked her pinky in his._

_"I don't swear. You swear. A lot."_

_Rory pulled Jack into her and kissed his dirty blonde hair._

She was in love with her sons and always was thankful that Logan forgot to strap up the two times she wasn't on birth control. Logan looked on inquisitively at her and she stepped back into the supermarket reality.

"So Logan, how have you been?"

"Stupendous."

"That is...Stupendous. You know the boys said exactly that- that word."

"Yeah? I'm finally showing up little by little in them. If they didn't have my hair, I would've asked for a paternity test." Rory had to smile. It was a running joke when Jack and eventually Charlie were born since they used to have brown hair and later on when they didn't really have any of his characteristics. Rory noticed their similarities but the joke was still a saving grace in small talk. Logan noticed as well, but didn't want Rory to look into the fact that the boys used his same word.

The truth was that Logan was a wreck as well. He ended up "accidentally" breaking the Willy Wonka movie after he decided to watch it by himself one day and ended up tearing. He stayed in sweats and a t-shirt all day. He also would only go commando since all of his boxers were bought by Rory and he was simply too lazy to go get new ones. As weird as Logan was turning out to be, he was content knowing that this was his way of coping.

_Eyes burning and vivid on the framed picture of Rory's 21st birthday, Logan failed to notice a similar caramel colored eyes looking at the same thing._

_"Daddy, are you okay?"_

_Logan moved his head slightly and smirked at his young son. "Yeah Jack. I'm stupendous."_

_"Stupid-us?"_

_"No." Logan picked Jack up and led him back to his bedroom. "It means really good."_

_Jack smirked knowing that his father was not 'stupendous' and shook his head. Logan loved at how smart Jack was and knew that this was because of his mother, and not the stupid school they went to or himself for that matter. Logan laid Jack down in his bed and sat idly by._

_"Okay. I'm not stupendous, but if anyone asks you have to tell them that. Promise?"_

_Jack nodded his head and whispered, "I won't tell Mommy. Don't worry."_

"What are you doing here?" said Rory, startling Logan from his brief flashback.

"I told you. Food."

"I know, but you have grocery stores by your place. This one is out of your way."

"Yeah, well, I didn't feel comfortable at them. The ones downtown. Everyone looks so prestigious and I didn't fit in. I'm not looking very debonair." Rory examined her husband and was confused at his continued disheveled look. She had assumed that it was a phase for the first week, but seeing as though a beard was coming in and his hair was long enough to cover the tops of his ears, she thought something different.

"So do you go to work like this?"

"No. I changed when I got home."

"You're kidding. The Logan Huntzberger I know would even sleep in the dress pants and button down from work that day."

"Well this Logan Huntzberger doesn't do that anymore."

Rory knew something was up and put a hand on his cart. He was surprised that she had that much interest in him since he was convinced she didn't have any interest in him, but surmised that she must've had a bit of interest since she found out that he was 'stupendous'.

"Logan, if you want to do this whole friends thing, you have to tell me the truth. We're not together anymore so there really isn't a need to lie to me. We used to do that all the time in our marriage. Tell me." Logan was stuck. He technically was literally stuck since Rory's cart cornered him by the paper towel display, but that was beside the point.

"I don't work anymore. I quit."

"What? You love that job."

"No. The Mitchum-Logan version of me loved that job, but the Logan-Logan version of me realized that he didn't want to turn into his father. I really like this whole unemployed life."

"Logan..."

"No seriously, I'm going to start collecting unemployment from Huntzberger Media Group. Don't worry about child support." Logan laughed to himself knowing that it would never be a problem, but loved exaggerating and pretending that he was some normal guy without the rich background.

"Logan-"

"Rory, I'm stupendous, really. This is good for me. I realized that these kids are in fact mine and that I just need to be around for them to take after me. And I like just spending time writing stories and listening to music. I think I might be the next Dr. Seuss or something. I don't have a doctorate though, but maybe I'll go back to school? There are endless possibilities with me. Logan-Logan."

Logan's last "Logan" was hit on a rather high note. His voice would always get scratchy when he would be rambling, and Rory always found it extremely sexy when that would happen. This time, however, she was too focused on the fact that he quit his job to notice one of the everlasting turn on through the years.

"You're serious?" Rory let go of his cart and stepped in a checkout lane.

"Yeah. I'm not going back. I actually talked to the boys' soccer coach, and he agreed to make me the assistant coach. You know, my dad was never around when I was a kid so I never did any real sports like football or soccer or baseball. There was only time for golf. That is why I suck at them. I want to be with the boys as much as I can. They can teach me some skills. Speaking of the boys, where are they?"

"They are at a sleepover. Joshua? Something like that. You know, you don't have to always wait until Saturday to see the boys. You can come over anytime you want."

"We'll see. And the same goes for you. I have an extra room." Logan almost cursed himself since he actually was about to say, I have a king size bed. They trying to be friends now. Friends didn't sleep together.

"Alright."

Already over with checking out, Logan and Rory lingered by the in store bank afraid to break the talking that they both had missed. Both of them caught up and agreed on weird things. They hadn't agreed on something since agreeing to get a divorce. Things were looking bright. Taking a glance at the clock, Rory cursed herself.

"Dammit. I actually have to go, Logan. Girls night out and I'm sorry- you're still a boy."

"I'll look into sex change operations for the next time." They both laughed simultaneously, knowing of Logan's sexual prowess and the impossible chance of a sex change operation. Logan walked out with Rory and towards her car. "I love the new car, Rory."

"You do?" For some reason, she actually was happy that Logan liked it and suddenly felt extremely weird since she got this one because he picked out the old one.

"Yeah, it's very 'Ace' like." Even though they were loading her groceries in the trunk seemingly busy, the both of them knew the use of this word was something major and needed to be ignored.

"Well, I'll talk to you later, Logan."

"Yeah, we're friends now. Friends call each other. I mean, I want to know all about the gossip. Have fun tonight, Ace."

He had to use it one more time. He forgot how much he loved calling her Ace and she forgot how much she loved hearing it.

Turning from the frozen foods section to aisle 12 was possibly one of Rory Gilmore's greatest ideas.

------

February 17th, 1:47 AM

Hey! Alright so I've been writing for the past four hours and chapter four is almost done. I'm sorry about the wait, but I've just been really busy and this bout of pneumonia I've got seems to be like the kicker to get me to write. So bear with me. If all goes well, it should be up tomorrow or Monday. Yay Happy Presidents' Day!

I'm also doing the format a bit different. FYI. I find it easier to understand and more gramatically correct.


	4. The Uncertainty of 'Sure'

Nine p.m. on a Friday night and Logan continued his ritual of sitting in front of a computer trying to continue writing. He was currently working on his children's story, Wes Frankenstein: Third Grader, with only chapter three finished of his expected 20. He needed to get working and writer's block definitely took a toll on these random occasions. All he could do was replay his meeting with Rory in his head, smiling at what was said and how great she looked with her new haircut. College Rory was making a comeback full force with the bangs, but the new bangs were wispier, sexier, and more seductive in general that completed experienced with age Rory. Logan surmised that silence was the root of his problem and pressed the shuffle button on iTunes.

Strangely, the Spice Girls showed up as the first song and Logan laughed at how Rory had uploaded the Spice Girls: Greatest Hits a while back. He thought of her girls' night out and was slightly jealous that she was up on the band wagon getting out of the house on Friday nights, and he was still only capable of leaving his office on them. He pressed next on the keyboard and another oldie played through the speakers, but this time "Ayo Technology" by 50 cent.

Not even noticing that this song wasn't quite inspirational for a children's story, he started to imagine what Rory is doing at 9:04pm...

_"She-She want it. I want to give it to her. She know that it's right here for her." _

_Previously staring at her empty ring finger on her left hand, Rory was now staring at the brooding brown haired man at the bar who was definitely staring back. Her friend across from her had thought she was intently engulfed into her conversation, but really she was intently engulfed in his lips and gray eyes._

_"Make you want to touch it, make you want to taste it. Have you lustin' for her, go crazy face it." _

_A slight nod from the man's head jolted a series of sparks up and down Rory's spine. Politely excusing herself from her table, she decided to take a chance on the stranger at the bar. _

_"The smoke's got the club all hazy; spotlights don't do you justice, baby." _

_The man smirked at his target's confidence and decided to continue his own confident streak. He got up and grabbed her hand, leading her to the bathroom in the back. Reaching his destination while pulling Rory inside, he turned to her. "Hi." _

_"Hi." _

_Rory took the confidence game seriously and seductively walked closer to him. Chests touching, she locked the bathroom door. _

_"Ooh, she wants it, uh uh (soo), I got to give it to her" _

_His lips attacked hers as he multitasked in guiding her to the counter and sink. The taste of his tongue against her lips was exotic, but she invited it in her mouth with intensity knowing that she hasn't kissed another man in practically 10 years. _

_"Your hips, your thighs, you got me hypnotized, let me tell you-" _

_He broke away from the kissing to take a breath and to continue what both of them so desperately wanted. He lifted her on the counter and began undoing his own pants all the while keeping his focus on her stunning and lustful blue eyes. She wrapped her legs around him noticing he was quite ready. Reaching under her dress and rubbing her thighs, he noticed that there was nothing blocking "him" from "her" and glided in for the kill. _

A phone call prompted Logan to shut the song off immediately, also glad that this ended his imaginative Rory's night out vision. "Hello-"

"Daddy!"

"Chuckles, what's going on?" Logan clutched the phone harder and turned around in his chair away from the computer screen, "How is the sleepover?"

"It's going good. Jack fell asleep on the couch like, like 10 hours ago," Jack yawned, "And now I have to get to bed. I wanted to call you and mommy, dough."

Logan admired Charlie's exaggerations as well as sometimes his "th"'s came out as "d"'s. He also kept his mind on the "mommy" part of Charlie's sentence. "Okay. I won't keep you so you could call Mommy."

"I just talked to her."

"What is she doing?"

"She's with Ms. Allison at some town place."

"How is she doing?"

"I dunno. You call her. I gotta go. I love you."

"I love you too, Charlie."

Logan hung up and quickly went to his bedroom to change from sweats to jeans. He put a fitted blue sweater over his dinged gray t-shirt and proceeded to the bathroom. Brushing his teeth, he wondered what he could possibly do with his over-grown hair. He spit into the sink and just threw a red sox cap over it. Girls night out or not, he was prepared to make sure other brooding males weren't all over Rory. He was ready to rock and roll.

Pulling up to Old Town Pub, Logan started to second guess his idea to "run into" Rory. He didn't want her to think he was a stalker, but at the same time he didn't want a guy to take advantage of her recent and somewhat single state in the bathroom. Walking in the door, Logan's eyes caught notice of Rory. She was sipping a cocktail in a low cut black sweater with her friend Allison. A man in a white button down sat next to Rory with his arm around her. The thing that hurt Logan the most was the constant smile that Rory wore. And with that, Logan walked out the door.

Staring at her empty ring finger, Rory was completely ignoring her friend's seemingly drone of talk.

"Rory, are you listening to me?"

Rory snapped back into reality, "No," She blamed the gin sunrise for her truthfulness, "I'm just thinking what Logan is doing. Should I have invited him earlier?"

"Are you kidding me?" Rory's friend Allison took another sip from her cosmopolitan, "You guys are getting a divorce."

"I know, but we're going to try to be friends. I think I was being rude."

"You're going crazy, Rory," Allison shifted to her left and to their other coworker/friend, "Don't you agree, Bobby?"

Bobby finished off his own cosmo and straightened his back, "Well, I don't know. Crazy or not, you should've invited him. I've only seen the pictures in your office of him, so I could've met your hot soon to be ex-husband."

"Damn straight," toasted Allison.

A new gin sunrise made its way to their table from a server. Asking of whom it was from prompted a wave. A brown haired man in a loose tie sat at the bar. Rory looked away embarrassed as Allison and Bobby laughed. She shot a glance at Bobby and he knew the routine he had done before on nights like these. Adjusting his white button down, he got up from his chair and moved to the one next to Rory, putting his arm around her. Rory couldn't help but smile as the buyer of her drink turned back around defeated.

"Thank you, Bobby," Rory sipped her drink and pushed the other gin sunrise to Bobby, "You deserve that."

"You guys are horrible," shouted Allison, "You're single now. We don't have to do that trick anymore."

"Well, I still don't want weird guys looking for a bar hook up to pursue me."

"That's what your life should be about now, Rory," Allison seemingly screamed over the music, "Fine, I'll go do what you can't." Allison excused herself and began her trek to the man at the bar and possibly his bed.

Needing some fresh air, Rory excused herself as well and walked outside, breathing in and out. She wasn't ready for a night like this. Sure, there had been girls' nights out at bars before and guys had bought her drinks, but this time it was different. This time she was single. It was overwhelming to think that giving a guy her number was accepted now, and somewhat expected, but she still was not ready. The grocery store incident continued to ruminate in her head and not just because she felt sort of rude not to invite Logan, but that she felt kind of wrong. It had only been two months since their separation. Though when looking down at her empty ring finger once again, she realized that it's not wrong. She walked back inside and went back to her table. She caught the eyes of the mysterious man while Allison gestured for her to go near them. Instead, she said her goodbyes, grabbed her coat and left. Sure, it wasn't wrong to give a guy her number now, but it was wrong to give a guy her number when all she could think about was a different guy- a blond haired guy.

Still bored and weirdly not wanting to go home yet, Logan sit in the front seat of his car still parked in the bar parking lot. Technically he didn't sit since he propped his seat to the horizontal position, he lay in the front seat of his car still parked in the bar parking lot while listening to The Who. A ring on his cell phone once again interrupted his music and his thoughts, but this time from the mother of his sons. With his stomach in his throat, Logan nervously answered his phone paranoid that Rory saw him. "Hello?"

"Logan. Hey."

Without trying to seem suspicious, Logan went with a casual opening while trying to keep his voice casual and normal as well, "What are you doing?"

"I could ask the same to you-"

"Rory, I'm sorry. I just wanted to make sure you were okay, you know?" He swallowed and sat up, "Bars are not safe and so once I saw that you were in good hands I left." Logan tightened his hand on his phone as well as the other on his steering wheel. "I'm in my car as we speak, but well I'm in the parking lot. I'm about to go home right now; I promise."

"Wait, you came to the bar? Old town?"

Realizing that Rory was only before being coy, Logan now grew more paranoid. It was now a pile up of the uncertain nervousness he felt before and now of the certain fact that Rory knew he went to the bar. "So you didn't see me..." Logan didn't really need to ask.

"Well, I guess I don't need to ask why you went. You said that in your little rant," She giggled playfully, "And you're in the parking lot, huh?"

Logan grew more nervous and shifted his car from park to drive subconsciously knowing that breaking promises to Rory was not something he wanted to do anymore. Rory knocked on his passenger window and startled Logan. She smirked while he put the car back in park and unlocked the doors. He smiled as well but only from embarrassment.

"So Logan, you stalking me?" Rory continued to smirk and shifted in the leather seat to make herself more comfortable.

"You literally caught me," Logan shifted as well in his seat to make it vertical and to also face Rory, "Seriously though; I just wanted to see if you were okay. I know how there's drunken horn dogs just looking for a quick fix that inhabit bars."

"So how do you know?"

"I used to be one. I should've known you'd be okay though," Logan loved how her blue eyes were accented perfectly by the moonlight, "You were like my sponsor. I've been clean and un-dirty dog like for 12 years now?"

"Congratulations. And I was okay. Allison and Bobby were with me."

"Bobby?"

"You know the new gay entertainment staffer I had told you about?"

"I think."

"Well, he would pretend to be with me if any guys came by."

Logan started to piece together what he saw, "He would put his arm around you if you were in a bit of a debacle?"

"A debacle?" Rory laughed at his weird diction as he nodded acknowledging it as well, "Yeah, he'd do that. So I would think you were a psychic, but I remember that you're my stalker."

"Rory, I saw you for a second and I was just about to leave. You're the one that came to my car. You're my stalker."

Rory guffawed at his admittion, "I just came out here for some air and decided to call you. You're the one who then told me you were in the parking lot. For a stalker, you're a pretty bad one. I thought stalkers weren't supposed to give their whereabouts to their own subject."

"Yeah, well you would know. I remember the grocery store incident," Logan chuckled once more from their playful banter and couldn't help but take a glance at Rory's upward lips, "So why were you calling me?"

"Well," Rory had forgotten she had a reason to calling and now was the nervous one, "I wanted to see if what you were doing wasn't too important in order to then ask if you wanted to skip the sex change operation and join me on the girls night out," With Logan still smiling, Rory continued, "Us being friends and all..."

"Or should you say 'girlfriends'. Well, thanks but no thanks. I'm pretty hungry and not in the mood for peanuts. And besides, I also don't like being asked."

"It's not like I was asking you on a date."

"Oh I know. I just wanted another reason to why I was denying your offer and an opening to ask a question of my own. Are you in the mood for pizza?" Logan knew to never ask Rory if she was hungry, because she could always eat. That's what he loved about her. He could always skip that question.

"Sure. Take out?"

"Sure. Your house?"

"Not clean, but sure. Green peppers and pepperoni?"

"Sure. Can we stop with the 'sure's??" Logan innocently played on his teddy bear brown eyes as he shifted into gear to drive to Rory's house.

"Okay," Rory mirrored his innocence and smiled in satisfaction of their banter.

They reached Logan's old home which now seemed foreign to Logan. As they entered the main corridor, Logan could see it was even more foreign with the new wall colors, valances, furniture, and pictures. Rory set her cell phone down on the new sofa table that lay behind her new brown stretched leather couch. Logan took it all in. The walls used to be white, but now they were a light brown, accented by the dark brown leather couches and two lighter brown arm chairs that were on one end. An oversized ottoman that matched the couches lay directly in the middle of the couches and across from the arm chairs gave way to a brand new 50 inch TV. Most importantly, Rory had said it wasn't clean, but if this was dirty, then he took a mental note that his apartment must've been atrociously unclean.

"Have a seat, Logan."

"Gladly," Logan sat in one of the arm chairs and ravished in their amazing comfortableness, "Gilmore, I want all your new stuff including your car. You know, for spousal support."

Rory smiled, "You got your new stuff; I got mine."

"So," Logan couldn't help but notice her cleavage and how great her figure was as she slipped into the arm chair next to Logan, "Why did you go extreme with the new stuff?" Before Logan could receive his answer, the doorbell rang indicating the delivery boy and he jumped from his chair. "You're not paying. You can get the plates, napkins, and drinks."

"Fine," Rory agreed but allowed herself to take a moment in being sad while Logan was gone and she got what she was supposed to. Deciding who was going to pay was never a problem for them or for any married couple. It was always the same money. Right after filing those divorce papers, they had their own bank accounts made. Right after they had split up for good. The smell of the pizza put a dampener on Rory's low thoughts and the excited look of this new laid-back-because-he-had-the-time and Boston-bred looking Logan made her feel better. Logan set the pizza on the ottoman and took off his sweater since his sweater served more as a jacket for the outdoors and then put his hat on backwards.

"You need to get ready to eat pizza," said Rory sitting back into her own arm chair while handing him paper towels and a beer.

"Yeah," Logan opened the beer and took Rory's to open as well, "What happened to plates?" Logan handed Rory her opened beer and took a piece of pizza.

"You're telling me you really need a plate? That much of a-" At that moment, Logan's piece of pizza split in half and the upper half of cheese, green peppers, pepperoni, and some sauce fell on his gray t-shirt. The moment defined the last word of her question, "Slob?"

"Yes," Logan stood and crossed his arms at the bottom of his t-shirt, "I'm taking off more clothing tonight than I had intended to."

Rory seemed to not notice his last comment since her mind was on his more defined than she had remembered six-pack that was partly shown. Logan felt a draft on his stomach and pulled down his undershirt. He discarded his dirty t-shirt into a ball and went to the kitchen in search of the garbage.

"Where's the garbage?"

"Under the sink now," she shouted as Logan stuffed his t-shirt in the garbage, "Why are you throwing away your shirt? There's such a thing as a washing machine."

Logan came back from the kitchen and sat back on the arm chair. "Yeah, but I figured that since you got new furniture, I'd get some new shirts."

"Meaning..." Rory turned on the TV and grew satisfied with the Legend of Bagger Vance already on.

"Meaning that I didn't want another reminder to go to the Laundromat."

"You're not wearing clean clothes?"

"No, well yeah," Logan grabbed another piece and tried again at eating, "These clothes are clean, but it's just that I'm running out of clean clothes. I usually just wear pajamas. This is me getting dressed up."

"I can tell," Rory finished her beer and decided that that was enough alcohol for her. She wasn't drunk, just tipsy and that was enough for her. "So if my friends call asking where I am, you're going to have to pretend that you're a guy I'm with."

"Wow. So you're taking this whole 'girlfriend' thing to heart. I skipped the sex change operation, remember?"

"I know, but you have to change your voice to one not of your own. I wouldn't seem cool if I went home with my ex. You know?"

"I know," Logan could feel himself wanting to take another trip down memory lane with Rory as they did before in his apartment a while ago, but he stopped himself. He knew that they had their talk and bringing up the past would only be troubling for the both of them. Instead he turned away and towards the TV to watch the movie.

Rory turned her head towards the screen too, but only for a second since she turned back towards him when she heard him finish his beer, "Would you like another one?"

"I'd love one, but-" Rory got up before Logan could offer to get it himself. She returned with two but handed them both to Logan.

"You don't want one?" Rory's confused but certain look always made Logan's heart stop.

"I already had enough alcohol."

"The least you could do is sip on this for two hours," Logan opened it. He turned towards her and grinned, "It'd make me more comfortable."

Rory took back the bottle from Logan's grasp after he opened it while secretly wishing that the object they were exchanging were small enough to where their hands touched. She couldn't quite explain why she was feeling this way. She thought it was possibly the gin topped off with the beer she just had, or the fact that she just was turned on by his six pack, but what she didn't think of was that she was still very much in love with him. Believe it or not, that actually was the real reason why she was feeling this way. A ring from her cell phone interrupted her thoughts now before she could figure out that real reason. Rory got out of her chair once more and to the table where she left her cell phone.

"Rory!!" Allison's voice screeched through the cell phone with the faint Bobby in the background, "Where are you? Please tell me you're being romanced by some mysterious stranger or being murdered. Those, my dear, are those only reasons we would consider forgiving you for ditching us."

Logan could hear her friend's loud voice and decided to partly act on the mysterious stranger he was supposed to be and partly act on the man secretly wanting Rory. He set his pizza and beer on the end table and wrapped his arm around Rory's waist, startling her and pulling her onto his lap at the same time.

"What are you doing?" She squealed as she heard Allison asking what was going on and then Allison telling a seemingly Bobby that Rory had run off with someone.

"Well," Logan lowered his voice to its lowest register, "I'm kissing you."

Before Rory could register Logan's last comment, Logan pulled Rory's upper body closer to him with his arms wrapped around it. Tilting his head, he was ready for the kill, wanting nothing more at this moment than to just kiss her. She could feel what was coming and continued to close the gap between their lips while feeling her insides turn with excitement and fear at what was about to happen. She heard the continuing loud voices on her phone and pressed 'end call' before she had a reason to it. Rory noticed that Logan had already closed his eyes seeing as though their close promiximity was already kissable.

"So you think they bought it?" Logan loosened his tight grip and Rory moved away from Logan while opening her eyes back up in a split second.

"Of course," Rory tried to regulate her breathing without sounding like it in her voice, "You did very well, Logan."

"Well, I learned instinct from the best, Ace."

"You know Logan; I have two of these chairs for a reason."

Logan got the hint, smiled, and let go of Rory to put his hands on either side of the chair. Rory was surprised at how comfortable this all felt, even as she still sat on his lap. She decided to risk the comfortableness and take a chance. Taking her hand off his right side, she moved it to take off his hat and continued to brush away flat blond bangs created from his hat.

"You like my new car, my new furniture, and I know you like my new TV without saying. But I never told you what I liked new about you. I like your Ben Affleck/Matt Damon-not-making-a-movie-right-now look. I like the new look in your eyes. The look of being down to earth and well rested with a shot of pure genuineness," Rory cupped her hand on the side of his face feeling his scruff, "I don't know. I like new."

Logan didn't know what to think about what was going on, all he could do was wrap his arms around her once more. "Me too. The hair, the clothes, the sexy make up," Logan whispered in her ear, "If your new look was made to seduce, then it's definitely working." He slid his lips against the side of her face and pulled away to look her in the eyes. She still looked as lustful as ever and Logan wanted all of it.

"I should get back to my chair," whispered Rory smoothly, knowing that a normal talking volume was not needed since they were so close, but not knowing that it turned Logan on even more.

"Are you sure?"

"No."

"So you're saying you kind of want to stay here on my lap?" Logan received his answer with a nod from Rory and in this instant; he paused to take it all in. His breathing was in sync with Rory's. He could tell from both of their chests lifting and lowering at the same time. Her eyes looked well rested too, but her eyes also looked sexy and excited with a shot of fear. At this moment, both of them learned how to not think without falling asleep as Bagger Vance taught Junah in the movie that continued to play in the background. Logan shifted his body in order to get even closer to Rory which made his legs on top of the ottoman hit the pizza box over, subsequently also falling on top of the remote. The channel switched to a Motown music channel.

"Son of a bitch," Logan straightened his back as Rory got up to clean the pizza on the wood floor, "Rory I'm sorry. Let me clean it up."

"No, you're a guest," Rory cleaned up the wreckage with the paper towels she original brought over, and got up to throw it all away. Logan got up as well and met Rory at the sink where she was washing her hands.

"I'm sorry. I'm a klutz."

"Yeah, you are," Rory laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck, "But I think its super cute."

"Super cute? You make fun of my 'debacle' and you just said 'super cute'?"

"Adorable?"

"Getting better." The Four Tops song 'Baby, I need your lovin'' played over the surround sound from the TV and seemed to be the perfect soundtrack to this moment.

"'Sexy' would go too far."

Logan wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into him, "Yeah, but it's nice to know you thought it." Logan's lips grazed Rory's with his upper lip staying slightly above her own. The kiss was only for a second; but as they both inadvertently pulled away, they allowed themselves to relish in this new kiss. True, they hadn't truly kissed each other in over seven months, but this was different from any other time before; this was new. With nothing stopping them, Rory initiated the kiss this time and arched her back away from Logan as he deepened the kiss with his tongue gliding through their lips to reach the tip of Rory's tongue. In a need to get rid of any clothing barriers, Rory moved her hands to the bottom of his undershirt. This objective stopped their kissing only for a second as Logan took notice and ripped his undershirt over his head. Being away for a second was too much for Logan as he connected their lips once again in a slamming type motion. His lust for her seeped out through his hands as well, pushing her into a wall.

Breaking away again, both of them needing to catch their breath, but Logan took advantage of this time to pull her sweater over her head. Directly afterward, Logan went to her lower neck and began sucking, knowing that this would make her moan. Gripping his hair on the back of his head, Rory tried to control her moaning and once she realized that she couldn't, she wished for him to stop. He complied when he backed away to look at her again, but she went at his lips hard this time when he pulled away as if punishing him for their brief lack of contact. Her upper lip was the one slightly above his upper lip this time and she slithered her tongue right underneath. She tilted her head for more access and once she felt his tongue, Rory squeezed her arms around his back and dug her fingers into his firm muscles. Logan was the one to moan this time and continued their instinctive moves as he slammed his arms like a clothesline against the wall. Without breaking their kiss, Rory wrapped one leg around his waist. In a split second, she jumped and Logan moved one of his hands to her upper thigh. He replaced his other hand from the wall to her hair and began walking with the both of them. Falling on top of the ottoman, Rory knew the journey to the bedroom was too far. She wanted him now.

"Hey," Logan broke the silence and tried to catch his breath, "I didn't tell you I love this ottoman." The ottoman was as big as a full size bed and quite possibly more comfortable than his king size bed.

Rory nudged Logan to roll over and he did, completely okay with Rory being in control now. She placed her legs at either side of Logan's and knew it was her turn to kiss his neck. Instead of stopping at his lower throat, Rory made her own happy trails with her tongue and lips down to his chest. He breathed out loudly when he realized that his pants were highly constricting and Rory responded in nonchalantly moving. She now kneeled at his sides as she sat up to unbuckle his pants. Rory kept her eyes on Logan's as he kept his eyes on hers. This gave Logan a chance to actually think. Her smoky make up was now slightly smeared and he tried to remember how that happened, but a different thought interrupted that train of thinking. It wasn't the thought of Rory undoing his pants without even looking; it was of his want to just be with her- to just be as close as possible to her.

A cell phone ring. The story of Logan's life: a ring interrupting his thoughts and his emotions. "Don't get that."

"I need to get it," Rory needed a chance to think and bent to the left to grab her cell phone from the floor. She tried to remember how that got there, "Hello?"

"Rory, darling, what are you up to?" Allison mischievously answered, "Are you busy?"

Logan sat up as well and kissed into the middle of Rory's neck. "Yes. Very busy."

"Oh. So you're busy?" Allison's voice suddenly turned discerning, "You better be with a stranger and not Logan."

"Why would you think," Rory paused for a second as Logan began lowering his lips to her chest, "that I was with Logan?"

"Only because you couldn't stop talking about him all night," Logan could hear Allison's voice and pulled away, "-and then you suddenly went out for air," Logan needed to look into her eyes. He couldn't tell if she seemed disappointed that he stopped or disappointed that she left with him, "-and never came back."

Rory caugtht his eyes for a second but turned away. "No, I'm not with Logan. It's the TV."

"Why are you out of breath?"

"I ran down the stairs to get the phone."

"That a girl. Now I called to let you know that Bobby and I took a cab home just incase your guilty ditching conscience was wondering."

"Good to know," Rory could feel Logan's grip on her thighs loosen, "I'm sorry about leaving. I had to get out of there."

"So did our phase one of getting over Logan work?"

"Sure," Rory looked back at Logan and smiled. He tightened his grip on her again, "We should do it again sometime."

"Well, with phase one must come a phase two," Allison yawned, "Just you wait, Rory. I'm trashed. I'm going to bed. Bye."

"So," Logan paused, "What's phase two?"

"Logan..." Rory got off his lap and went to the kitchen.

"Ace, where are you going?" Logan got off the ottoman and went towards Rory.

"I'm trying to find my sweater."

He caught her as she found her sweater and pulled it over her head. "Well, why are you doing that?"

"I'm supposed to be getting over you Logan..." Rory swallowed, "Not under you."

"Well if I recall, you were literally over me."

Rory couldn't help but smile and look Logan in the eyes, "I know."

"And besides, the best way to get over someone is to get under someone."

"Do you realize how stupid that sounded since you are the someone in both instances?"

"I'm okay with it." Logan put his hands back at her familiar hips.

"Logan," Rory put her hands at his shoulders, "Go put on your sweater." She let her hands fall off and walked towards her arm chair. He followed and pulled on his blue sweater he found on the couch.

"So I guess we're not good at being just friends." Logan took a seat on the couch, feeling too weird to sit on the tainted arm chair or ottoman.

"That's because I don't really remember us being just friends. We were friends with benefits, remember?" stated Rory, "It's like we don't know how to be just friends."

"Do we have to?"

"What?"

"Well, the way I see it is that we both need to get over each other. I'm thinking that we need to make a gradual pull out from each other," Rory's face turned red. "Pun definitely intended."

"So we should revert to friends with benefits and then gradually we'll get over each other?"

"Yeah. Like I said before, the best way to get over someone is to get under them."

"You changed the ending."

"Well, that's our version."

"That's insane."

"Sure, but I can speak for myself when I say that it's better than sitting at home playing 50 cent thinking of you having sex. We could lie at my home and play 50 cent...And have sex."

"You're cracked," laughed Rory, "But I'll consider it."

"Well, do you need to sleep on it or will this consideration only take a second? Because if you need to sleep on it, then I need to go home and take a cold shower."

"Go home. I'll see you at the boys' soccer game tomorrow." Both of them began their trek to the front door.

"You'll give me your answer then?"

"Sure." They stopped at the door.

"Take the word 'sure' out of your vocabulary and I will too?"

"Deal."

Logan once again stared too long without saying anything back, so Rory took it upon herself to kiss him good night. It was also a way to prove that her 'sure' meant yes. She cupped her right hand on his lower side of his face as she kissed him and admired the feel of his growing beard on her skin.

"Goodnight, Ace." Logan let go of her and opened the door, not wanting to leave, but knowing he should. As he left, he could hear the Four Tops marathon that had continued on the Motown music channel. This time the song, "I Can't Help Myself," was what played now. As he thought about this night with Rory, he couldn't help but replay the line from the song he heard before he left in his head.

"I'm weaker than a man should be. I can't help myself. I'm a fool in love, you see."

He remembered at how after Rory's first phone call with Allison, she had cupped the right side of his face as well as she did when she kissed him goodnight. Logan realized she was going to kiss him before when she was sitting on his lap talking about the 'new him'. She was unpredictable, but level headed. She was shy, but confident. The new Rory was a walking contradiction and he loved it. Logan had an epiphany; there was no way he was ever going to get over Rory; he just needed Rory to see that as well. Friends with benefits, Logan hoped, would gradually get Rory to see that rather than the opposite. He smiled his vicious smirk and couldn't wait until tomorrow...He couldn't wait for Rory's answer...

* * *

March 21st

Hello!

Alright, well I know it's been a while. And let me tell you, I'm sorry. See, the thing is: I have the next chapter done. It's been done for about three weeks now. I just feel like it's missing something. Every time I read one of my stories, I get this feeling of giddiness and like comfortableness. I don't quite have that yet with the next chapter. I'm going to spend this spring break retooling it and hopefully put up the new version.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned!

Sam. 


	5. Glad, Mad, and Sorry

**January 2nd, 2009**

**Hey. So it's officially weird to think it's 2009. Anyway, it's been too long since I've updated. I know. I'm ridiculous. I made a false promise all those months ago, and I'm sorry. It's just that the original plan for this story left me having writer's block. I didn't know what to do. I tried coming back to this story numerous times and failed. Although, a week ago I was listening to this one song ("Broken Strings" by James Morrison) and it kind of reminded me of this story. So I've been thinking of what to do to get me excited about this story again. Well, that song was just the first part. Today, I read some reviews and felt bad. I just kept on listening. Then suddenly, I came up with an idea. I've been at my computer all day, and here is the next chapter. This isn't the end. It's just the beginning in a way which is fitting for this second day of the new year.**

**I'm excited about where I'm going to take this story. I hope you enjoy this next chapter. It was fun to write, so I hope it's fun to read.**

**-Sam.**

* * *

"I could never be your woman."

Logan had no clue how the 97' one hit wonder had gotten on his computer. It could've been another one of Rory's doings, and coincidentally it also was the song he woke up to. As soon as he lifted his head off his keyboard pillow, he thought of rushing to Rory's house (though technically still his) and seeing what her answer was. Though, he did this from time to time. He lived on from his dream for a moment just until his mind caught up with him, and realized that it was just a dream- a dream that he frankly didn't have the gumption to fulfill. Their marriage was being dissolved from a mutual decision. He just needed to keep reminding himself of that reality.

He trudged to his bedroom, aware that he'd been only sleeping an hour. Falling on his bed, he tossed and turned, seemingly trying to find the perfect sleeping position. Though, he was really just trying to erase the image of a naked Rory out of his brain, or at least just of a possible mysterious stranger accompanying her. There was nothing he could do, because he didn't have the courage to possibly stop her. Simply, he didn't have the courage to let himself admit he still loved her. So he stayed awake the entire night thinking of the good times. At least it made him able to forgot about this bad time.

* * *

Rory walked in her huge and empty house without a companion, a stranger, a man to make her forget Logan. She was a horrible test subject to Allison's experiment. She wanted to forget about Logan, but she wasn't ready to at the same time. Her ambivalence wasn't going to end this soon. Hitting the answering machine with six new messages, she braced herself by leaning her back into the wall, because a part of her desperately wanted one of them (or all of them) to be from Logan. She wouldn't admit it. She couldn't. When her feelings were on display, they were just on display to get hurt. With every delete of a message from Lorelai, she sunk even more until she was sitting on floor. She used to be commended for her strength. The only glimpse of it now was shown in her eyes, fighting hopelessly for the tears not to fall.

One last message.

"Rory. Seriously? I don't have to tell you who this is because in my first message out of like 100, I said it was your mother. You know, I think I gave birth to you? Raised you? Sacrificed numerous things just so you can have a life you deserved. I'd say I did a good job. And what do I get in return? A daughter that I haven't talked to in over a month. You know, Rory, you're not going to be able to get rid of me in person. I'll bombard you...I've officially turned into my mother. Dammit. Actually, I'll sick Emily on you! Just you wait!"

Rory couldn't tell her about what was happening. Rory wasn't ready for the whole 'I told you so' speech. It's why she stopped taking trips back to Connecticut around a year ago, because she would be obviously taking them alone. But as she tried to come up with those cons to not talking to her mother, the outstanding pro was the only one that came to mind- she missed her mom. She needed her mom. And so she dialed.

"You better have a great explanation for not talking to me in God knows how long. And then an explanation at why you're calling at...around 4AM my time!?"

"Logan and I are getting a divorce." Silence ensued. All of her strength was gone now. Gone.

"Well, kid, that explains it. Always had the gift of gab."

"...Yeah..."

"You're not okay."

"No. I mean, I thought I was. It's just...I just-"

"You're not. How are the boys taking it?"

"As best as they can, I guess. I don't think they understand. They just know that something's not alright..."

There was more silence on the other line. Rory was glad that her mother was taking this well, but unsure about the silence. This was definitely out of character. The only noise was something resembling typing on a keyboard.

"Mom? Mom! What are you doing?"

"Booking plane tickets."

"What?! Why?! Please don't tell me you were serious when you said you'd bombard me."

"What? No. The West coast frizzes out my hair. You and the boys are coming here."

"Mom, no! Stop. Stop right now. Get Luke. He's the logical one. You can't do this. I've got work. The boys have school-"

"Calm down, I'm eyeing Monday as the departure day. The boys do go on Christmas break on Wednesday. They can miss a couple days of school. They've got their brains from two Yale graduates. They'll be fine."

"Mom, you can't just do this."

"Yes I can. I'm still your mother. This is me helping my daughter. You're coming here."

"But Mom-"

"Rory, they can give you a leave of absence. This is an emergency...Sort of."

"I mean, I know they'll give it to me. It's just...Logan has the kids the first week of Christmas break."

"Hmm...Well, switch weeks with him. Talk to him. You've got a couple of days."

"Okay."

"Okay? Really?"

"Yeah...I need Luke's coffee."

"Alright, sweets. I'm going to finalize this and give you a call later with the information and such."

"Thank you, Mom. And I'm sorry-"

"Don't worry about it. Get some rest. Goodnight."

"Night."

* * *

Logan tried to stay focused on the game in front of him. He tried to replicate the coach with his shouts of encouragement to the children chasing after the soccer ball. He couldn't as long as Rory sat in the bleachers behind him. When she arrived and the boys practically jumped her, he just nodded, still remaining at his place beside the water and bag of soccer balls. It's like she didn't even notice though. It was understandable. It's hard to not see the boys everyday and feel fine about it. So now he just stuffed his hands in his pockets, debating whether he should go talk to her. They agreed that they could be friends. A friend would be interested in talking. He was interested in talking. He was interested in more. He looked towards the ceiling, hoping his brain would just shut off temporarily-

Well, it kind of worked. A soccer ball came full force at his head, surprising him and knocking him completely backwards. When he came to, his mind was no longer blank as he stared in on Rory hunched next to him, with her hand on his face.

She smiled as his eyes opened, after he'd been gone for only a couple of seconds.

"Are you okay?" asked Rory, among the others surrounding him.

"I'm okay," answered Logan, sitting up after Rory removed her hand.

"I'm sorry," whispered Jack nervously.

"Come here, Jack."

Rory nudged Jack away from her side as Logan opened his arms. Jack's nervousness seemed to dissipate his father's arms wrapped around his small body.

"Buddy, what a kick! Knocked me right over. I mean, that was impressive. Now you've just got to learn direction, that's all."

Logan and Jack's laughs simulated one another just before Jack ran back to the game. Logan tried standing up; but with gravity temporarily not on his side, he stumbled a bit. What he didn't plan, was his arm wrapping around Rory's side to help his composure. As a reflex, Rory wrapped an arm around his side as well.

"I need to sit."

Rory guided him to the bleachers, and then grabbed a bag of ice from the coach. She returned, placing it to the small red mark appearing just beside his right eye. He put his hand to the bag of ice, slightly touching her hand as it retreated.

"I've got it, Ace. Thank you."

"No problem."

There was this silence that began over a year ago as their marriage started to crumble. It was the silence where both parties wanted to say something, but their guard kept their mouths shut. Though, they were different now. If the looks visually showed how different they were, they could also explain how different their thoughts and feelings were as well. Rory was no longer patient. This new characteristic of hers could have gradually came about after having two kids, but the dissolution of their marriage was the nail in the coffin for it. She realized that standing around and waiting for things to work themselves out was ridiculous. Action provoked action.

"Logan, do you think maybe I could get the kids the first week of Christmas break? My mom booked plane tickets back to Connecticut as maybe a Christmas gift for the three of us and we're supposed to leave Monday night. If that's not okay, then-"

"It's fine." He turned towards as she searched for meaning in the one eye that wasn't covered by a bag of ice.

"Yeah? I mean, I know I should've given you some warning. It's just, I didn't even have warning."

"I understand, Ace. We all know your mother. Good thing she has Luke. Lorelai's irrational. Luke's rational. They balance each other out."

"Yeah...They balance each other out."

"...You know, I could come too."

"What?"

"I mean, my parents still go away to Figi for the holidays. The house is empty. I could stay there while you guys stay in Stars Hollow. You can still have them the first week, but then I'll take them after that. Honor has been sending me e-mails about some holiday party for the DAR complete with Santa. We can work out the actual day of Christmas when the time comes, but at least it'll be easier if we're all in the same place. And I know that you'd probably want to spend more time with your mom."

"Okay."

"We could carpool too? It'd just make things even easier."

Rory smiled as Logan did as well. She nodded and both turned their attention back to the game. Their smiles slowly faded, but their unusual happiness for this moment did not.

* * *

Lorelai clutched tighter to her jacket, freezing in the cold winter air. Rory called a few minutes ago and said they'd be out with their luggage in a few minutes. She looked around, and then looked puzzled as she could spot the Huntzberger family walking towards the automatic doors to the outdoors. She saw Rory holding a tired Chuck, and then she saw Jack. But what made her confused was Logan holding Jack's hand. Rory also didn't look like how she sounded on the phone a few days ago. She looked happy. She was talking to Logan. Logan was beside her. Logan. Logan. Logan.

Before Lorelai could adequately comprehend this, she was bombarded herself with two little boys.

"Grandma!"

"Oh, I hate that name," said Lorelai, as the boys released her from their grasps, "But I do love you both, so whatever."

"Hey mom."

"My only daughter in the flesh!" Lorelai's thoughts on Logan were halted again with her own provoked hug to Rory. Rory knew this was a good idea as she embraced her mom, mad that she missed out on this for an entire year. As Rory backed out of the hug, only one person was left.

"Surprise," said Logan, looking oddly smug to mask his uncomfortableness.

"Rory, care to explain?" retorted Lorelai, opening the car door for the kids to get out of the cold, and to also not be able to hear this conversation.

"Surprise," answered Rory.

"Yeah, I heard that. Forgive me if I'm being a little too blunt, but isn't this the horrible husband-decent-father-soon-to-be-ex-husband?"

The old Logan would have shouted something back at her for the subtle insult; but this Logan knew however insulting the statement was, it was also true. He just looked away, wanting to be out of this conversation.

"Mom, stop-"

"No, Rory, you need to stop. You need to think. You were coming here to forget Logan, not rehash the past with him. I'm not going to be idly watching by as you go through yet another emotional roller coaster with him. Your kids have been front row for too long! And don't tell me he's a good man. Someone who commits adultery is not a good man!"

"Mom! Stop! Logan and I are not getting back together. He's just spending the holidays out here too. He'll be in Hartford. We'll be in Stars Hollow. He thought it'd be easier for the kids if they're not shuffled thousands of miles away rather than roughly twenty, and I agree."

"Oh. Logan, I'm-"

"You can make it up to me by maybe giving me a ride?"

His smile was apologetic himself. He was the guy who took her daughter away to the other side of the country and couldn't keep her happy. Rory looked at her mother annoyed, hoping she'd just nod and they'd get past this unfortunate conversation. Luckily, Lorelai knew when to fight and not, so she did nod. Though, she was sure that this conversation with her daughter was not over. After all, the way Logan and Rory looked in the airport was fit for a kodak moment and certainly not the look of two spouses going through a divorce.

* * *

After the goodbyes in the car, including the awkward wave goodbye to Rory and Lorelai, Logan tried his old key on the door leading to an empty house. He didn't mind considering he'd been accustomed to it a lot. Although, he wasn't used to it quite yet. Unusually, the key didn't work. He figured that it was a possibility. His parents were the paranoid type. Instead, he knocked quickly, wanting to get out of the cold. He figured that Bridgette, a housekeeper that had worked at his house since he was seven would've answered, but instead a middle aged man that he did not recognize answered instead.

"Can I help you?"

"You must be new. Well, you can start out by helping me with my luggage. There's more in the car."

Logan tried walking past him and then into the house, but the man blocked his entrance.

"Who are you?" asked the mysterious man.

"Logan Huntzberger. I'm Mitchum and Shira's son. I knew that I wouldn't be able to reach them. You know, being in Figi and all, but I knew it'd be okay if I came home to stay for a couple weeks."

"Huntzberger?"

"Huntzberger. It's really cold, you know."

"They don't live here anymore."

"What?"

"I bought the house from them a couple of months ago."

"Really?"

"Yeah. They didn't tell you?"

"My parents and I aren't really pen pals if you know what I mean."

"Sorry."

"It's okay," said Logan, picking up his luggage once again, "It's my fault. I have a problem with communication."

Logan walked to Rory's passenger window, and it rolled down.

"I don't live here anymore. My parents sold the house."

"They didn't tell you?" asked Rory, confused.

"That'd require possibly me answering a call from them...You think maybe I could come back and sit in the car while I figure this out? Rory's getting cold," said Logan to Lorelai.

"Yeah!" responded Lorelai, aware that Logan's face not covered by facial hair was beat red.

Logan jumped back inside in the backseat next to his two sons, happy to see him again. He played with them a bit, putting his cold hands to their cheeks as they laughed and tried to push him away. Both Lorelai looked on through the rear view mirror, but Rory had completely turned around in her seat.

"Where are you going to go?"

"I don't know, Rory. I guess maybe Honor and Josh's."

"They live another forty miles away."

"I know. I'm probably just going to call a cab or something."

"No. I mean, that's far from us. You said you wanted to be close."

"Well, I'm sure Richard and Emily wouldn't want a boarder-"

"Actually, they do love you Logan. I mean, even despite all of this, I'm sure-"

"No!" shouted Rory, "Mom, don't be ridiculous."

"I wasn't."

"It was a joke anyway," said Logan, confused at their brief exchange, "A hotel is fine?"

"What about the Dragonfly?" wondered Rory, "It's only a couple miles from the house."

"Lorelai?" wondered Logan himself.

Lorelai turned around to face three eager males, and then turned to her side to face an evenly eager Rory, something she couldn't explain herself.

"Yeah. I love business."

* * *

Lorelai had figured that Rory would've liked Logan to be as far away from her as possible when they had talked on the phone. Then she shows up at the airport with him to now wanting him to stay at the inn instead of twenty miles away as originally planned. No, this couldn't be the Rory who was slowly accepting the fact that they were getting a divorce. Or it was. She did later explain that she had called her that night after going out to a bar. That means she could've been drinking. Drinking does provoke an odd rush of emotion that in any other case would be out of character. Lorelai should know. This was all too confusing. This was something she needed to talk to Rory about, but she couldn't. She couldn't with Logan, Jack, and Charlie sitting behind her. She couldn't with Rory already smiling and talking with all of them as a mother should be...As a wife should be. Rory needed to do some explaining for sure.

Lorelai, Rory, and the two boys finally reached their original destination. It was already past 10PM after dropping Logan off at the dragonfly, and having dinner with him per Sookie's request. Lorelai would have told Sookie that they were getting a divorce, but she decided that it could wait. Sookie just thought that there wasn't any room at Lorelai's house. The boys didn't need to be reminded once again that their parents weren't going to be together. Rory never liked it when she was a kid. Although Rory had accepted it back then, every time she was reminded of reality, it made her wish of a fantasy where her parents could actually be together. Sookie didn't notice though, like Lorelai would've thought. Logan and Rory sat next to each other, talked to one another, exchanged quips and banter...It was weird to Lorelai, but normal to Sookie.

The boys had fallen asleep on the short ride home, and Luke was strong enough to carry both of them upstairs to their guest room, with Rory walking behind him. Lorelai waited by the stairs ready to pounce, but backed off when Luke returned downstairs first, while Rory was tucking the boys into bed.

"What are you doing?" asked Luke.

"Go watch T.V. Turn it up loud, but not too loud where she knows something's up," whispered Lorelai.

"Who?"

"Babette. She's always listening. She's been running dry of hot gossip ever since Kirk made the site, KirkHilton dot com."

"You should give Rory some space. She's also probably tired."

"Listen, bucko, there's something going on-"

"What's going on?" asked Rory, walking down the stairs.

"You tell me."

"Mom, I'm too tired for this."

"Told ya!" shouted Luke from the couch. Rory grabbed a duffel bag by the door.

"Rory, I'm just saying that you and Logan seem a little too close."

"Mom, calm down. We're just friends. That's it. It's good for the kids."

"It's not good for the kids when he has his hands all over you."

"When was this?"

"Well, you did almost slip on ice and he helped you, but his hand was a little too far south if you know what I mean."

"Lorelai, you're being ridiculous," shouted Luke again.

"Maybe. Or maybe not."

"Mom," Rory stopped on the first step and turned towards her, "There's nothing going on. If there was, you'd be the first one to know."

"Because I was the first one to know about you getting a divorce?"

"You were in the top five! Let me handle everything the way I want to handle everything, okay? Goodnight. And goodnight Luke!"

"Night, Ror," answered Luke. Rory began walking up the stairs again.

Lorelai's confusion was diffused mostly, but the fact that Rory was walking upstairs instead of to her old room on the first floor sparked another bit of curiosity.

"Rory, where are you going?"

"The boys have been sleeping with me for a while. You know, I'm not used to sleeping alone."

Rory reached the bedroom where the boys seemingly slept soundly on a queen size bed. Their eyes peeked open as she crept on the noisy wooden floor towards them. She was too tired to change into pajamas, take off her make up, or even brush her teeth, and too anxious to just get into bed with her two favorite little boys. She nuzzled in between them and kissed them goodnight once again.

This habit of them all sleeping together started the night when Logan officially left. Sure, Logan and Rory hadn't been sleeping together for over a year, but at least she knew he was still in the house. At least he was still her husband, and always going to be there. Funny, she thought before sleep overcame her. She hated being reminded of the reality. Well, at least I'm getting better at this acceptance thing.

She awoke to an empty bed, and the smell of a real breakfast instead of pop tarts probably made by Luke. But that wasn't what woke her up. She tried to remember...Candles, a bed, a scruffly Logan on top of her...

"What the hell?" said Rory, glad that her sons were probably downstairs eating. They were children from her womb after all.

* * *

Rory got ready quickly, hungry and wanting something or someone else to distract her from trying to dissect her dream. As she strolled on down, what and who she saw in the kitchen definitely distracted her. Everyone was eating breakfast. Everyone meaning Lorelai, Luke, the boys, Logan, and Jess. She stood stunned that Jess was here and Logan, weirdly seated next to each other. Jess looked at her just before everyone else turned their attention to a silent and awake Rory. Jess got up and walked over to Rory.

"Happy holidays!" said Jess, before hugging her.

Rory's arms hugged him back, but her eyes stayed glued to Logan. He looked back at her, and then went back to eating. Rory thought that this was an improvement. Rory thought that both of them were finally ready to accept their separation. That is, until Logan shook his head while he took another bite, rather hastily.

* * *

_Around two years ago..._

_Rory finished getting ready nervously. She walked downstairs and opened the door to Logan's office. Inside, he was on the computer and taking notes, which meant he was working. Jack and Charlie played with a train set together Logan had constructed in front of his desk so he could work and still watch them. Logan glanced up for a moment, then went back to what he was doing._

_"I'm leaving. I'll be back probably around 10. These office parties are usually pretty dull. Allison getting too drunk and then hitting on Bobby is probably the only fun part."_

_He didn't look up. He didn't even nod._

_"The boys need to be in bed at 7:30. They like a couple stories to be read to them beforehand. The Thomas the tank engine ones."_

_This time he did nod. She kissed the boys goodbye, then approached Logan's desk. She leaned over, placed a hand on his desk for balance, and slowly kissed his cheek. He put a hand over hers on the desk._

_"I"m sorry about fighting with you earlier. I just wish you could've given me some advance on the party."_

_"Like I said, I completely forgot about it. But this way," she glanced over to the boys and all the intended toys to keep them occupied, "you can still make that overseas conference call."_

_"You look great."_

_Rory kissed him, but with trepidation. He wanted more, but she pulled away._

_"I've really got to go. Get back to work."_

_Rory walked away and Logan went back to work. Just before she walked out of the office, she glanced back and said, "I love you boys."_

_"We love you too," said Logan, convinced that Rory didn't hear it though._

_She got in her car and drove two streets over and parked her car behind another one. This was the reason why Logan had only heard of the supposed office party today. It was because she didn't expect to see Jess at her favorite coffee spot today. She didn't expect to talk to him for an hour and still want to talk to him more._

_And now as she opened the passenger door and said 'hi,' she didn't expect to feel so comfortable and yet so guilty at the same time._

* * *

**Again, hello.**

**I'm back to maybe diffuse some confusion. I realized that if the last chapter's dream sequence was not a dream, it was unrealistic. They're still hurt. They're still too proud. They're still too afraid. If you knew what I knew (i.e. Jess thing, cheating thing), then you'd know why lol. You'll know. Just wait.  
**

**I love reviews. They always get me motivated. Although, sometimes they get me really driven. For example, one reviewer wrote at how just when they've found a well written story, it's been unfinished for a while. Just saying...lol**

**Okay, and I guess I rattled some cages with the whole cheating thing? I've had an idea with this whole "cheating" (notice the quotes on that) concept from the beginning. I haven't forgotten why their marriage ended- lack of communication, miscommunication. Try to put the pieces of the puzzle together. I gave some hints...Or, just wait for the new update.**

**Don't give up on hope. I am one to create drama, but not one to shoot down aspirations.**

**I'll always be a Logan and Rory fan.**


	6. You Get What You Give

Rory stepped fully into the kitchen once Jess stepped away from her. He went to his previous seat and held it out for her.

"I've got a book tour stop in Hartford so I've got to get going. You know, a sequel always has to be better than the first, or just promoted more than the first."

"True," said Rory, sitting down in the seat next to Logan. Luke replaced the half eaten plate of Jess' with a brand new one for Rory. Other conversations ensued, like one between the boys and one between Luke and Lorelai, but none of them were being listened to by Logan. His eyes were for his plate, but his ears were for the voices of Rory and Jess.

"You've got great boys. They do resemble their father, but a lot of you too. I like that."

"Thanks," said Rory briskly.

Jess nodded and put on his coat. As he walked out, he rubbed each of Jack and Charlie's head. Logan looked like his own head was going to burst with anger as he stopped eating and just stared. Rory turned towards Logan, but he kept his eyes forward, refusing to look at her.

"Can we go talk outside?" sharply asked Rory.

Still refusing to turn his head, Logan simply said, "I'm eating."

Rory let out a breath in the apparent absurdity. "Afterward?"

He stayed silent and shoved another bite of his food into his mouth.

"So you're just not going to talk at all...Great."

Lorelai, finally out of her own conversation with Luke, turned her attention to a silent Logan.

"So Logan," said Lorelai, "Trying to bring sexy back with the wooly mammoth look?"

"I was going more for a blonde Jesus," quipped Logan, as he smirked and carried on as if he had a split personality.

Luke let out a chuckle, and the kids smiled even though they didn't quite understand. Rory, however, just laughed in a rather sarcastic way and kept eating forcefully as well. Logan knew felt like he should've said something. He wanted to storm out, and wait for Rory to follow him. The only thing that stopped him was fear: afraid that they would yell and argue like too many times before, afraid that this mutual vacation would be ruined, but most importantly, afraid that she would not even follow him out. So he didn't do anything. He decided to just keep his emotions inside in the form of keeping quiet. Though, Rory knew better. Every subtle and swift glance towards her spoke volumes. The way he'd jolt his leg away from hers if ever they would accidently touch underneath the table.

Rory knew why he was angry. Looking at Jess brought up the past- this certain part of the past that spawned the first major struggle in their marriage. Sometimes Rory wondered if she shouldn't had told him about what had happened. Maybe things would have been better just not knowing the truth of everything? But she surmised that this wasn't true. Their lying and lack of communication had been going on a while before this incident, but everything came to a head in it. Afterward, it all got worse, but just simmered until they couldn't take it anymore. The damage was not a crack, but a break. Maybe it was inevitable...

Regardless of the possibilities and probabilities, both Rory and Logan knew for sure that this was a defining moment in their marriage; and time could not erase the thoughts or feelings from the past

* * *

_Jess eased to a stop right behind Rory's parked car. An awkward silence ensued as Rory tapped her fingers on her to go box. _

_"Thanks for dinner, Jess."_

_"No problem."_

_"Do you want this?" asked Rory, mentioning the to go box. _

_"No, I'm not really a fan of mushrooms. Just take it home."_

_"I can't take it home."_

_"Why not? He's probably sleeping anyway. Just put it in the fridge. And even if he asks, you did say you were going to an office party."_

_"Right...I don't do this sort of thing. Logan and I...We're happily married."_

_"Rory, it's not like we're doing anything anyway. You were just having dinner with an old friend. You said that he would probably not watch the kids if he knew you were having dinner with me."_

_"Yeah."_

_"He doesn't like me. Or he basically is a selfish asshole who thinks about himself before his family."_

_"Jess-"_

_"No, Rory, I'm sorry if I'm being harsh, but I think you're in denial. You practically said all of that over dinner. You've been saying this, but not this bluntly. I don't think you are happily married if you not only had to lie about having dinner with me, but you also spilled your guts all over the dinner table before the drinks even arrived."_

_"I don't just do that with everyone. I'm not some basket case." _

_"I know...But you are like that with me."_

_Jess leaned forward and cupped Rory's chin. She knew what he was doing, but honestly, she didn't think he really would have balls to try to make a move on a married woman. It started out slow. This was practically foreign territory for Rory since she hadn't kissed another man in almost 10 years. The intensity increased as Jess tempted her morals even more, and slipped his tongue between her lips. It was like having an out of body experience. Rory couldn't think. Her hands released from the to-go box, and found the sides of his abdomen, pulling him closer to her. Suddenly, Rory stepped back into her body as she realized her cheeks were cold. Logan's hands would always find a way to her face when kissing her, giving her warmth physically and emotionally. Logan's kisses gave her serenity. With Jess, she felt nothing. _

_Rory pushed him away rather brashly, remaining silent as she tried to catch her breath and thoughts. _

_"Those things that he does, and the things that he says...They're upsetting. They're unfortunate. But they do not define him- Logan...The man I'm still very much in love with. Thanks for dinner, but I have to go see my husband. I want to go see Logan- all the time, actually."_

_She opened the door, and picked up the the to-go box on the floor since she was done keeping secrets from Rory. _

_"Rory?" asked Jess, right before Rory was going to close the door on her way back to her own car._

_"Yeah?"_

_"I'm sorry-I-"_

_"No, it's okay, Jess. Thanks for everything: dInner and-"_

_"Yeah, I get it."_

_Rory returned home and tried to be quiet, though her clicking high heels were a dead giveaway. She laid the to-go box on an end table, then bent over to take off her shoes. She got sidetracked as Logan's arms wrapped around her waist from behind. _

_"Keep them on," whispered Logan into her neck. _

_She turned around and faced a glowing Logan, who went straight for her lips. The intensity was induced by Rory this time, pushing her tongue in between his lips and then sucking his upper lip. In this moment, Rory knew what she said to Jess was right. No one could make her feel the way Logan did. They barely made it to their bedroom, with Rory forcefully attacking his pajama pants and undershirt to come off. Once there, Logan unzipped her dress, continuing his kissed now to the nape of her neck. Her knees hit the back of the bed and she fell. Logan stood in front of her, with lust in his eyes, and took her dress off. He glided on top of her, but before their intensity could keep growing, Logan stopped. He pulled away a bit, and put his hands to the side of Rory's face. _

_The look he gave her now was different. His eyebrows weren't slightly furrowed anymore, but drooped a bit. His whole face displayed innocence and vulnerability. His look was no longer of lust, but of love. He kissed her with trepidation, letting his lips linger as he opened his eyes and saw her gorgeous blues staring back at him in the exact same way. He got up and went to his briefcase, as Rory sat up in the bed confused. He turned around and held a ring box in his hand. Rory was definitely more confused, and also able to feel the full extent of her guilt. Moving back in front of her, he attacked her lips again, but slowed the tempo down while multitasking. Logan took the ring out of the box, and fit it just above her wedding ring. _

_Rory decided that she needed to stop being distracted, and broke the kiss. She looked down at the beautiful white gold and diamond encrusted band that not only fit perfectly, but looked perfect with her already gorgeous wedding ring. _

_"I know I missed our anniversary, since I was in Hartford last week, but I went to that same place I got your wedding ring. And I know my apologies haven't really been taken well-"_

_"Logan, I said it was fine-"_

_"No, I know you better. And it wasn't fine. I know you don't think I listen to you all the time, but I heard you when you said that I don't try hard enough in this marriage. I'm telling you now that I will start, because I am so in love with you. And I'm sorry if I ever made you doubt that."_

_"Logan-"_

_"Rory," said Logan, picking up Rory's face to meet his eyes, "I'm never not loving you."_

_Logan leaned in for another exhilarating kiss, but Rory turned her head. _

_"Ace-"_

_"No, Logan," whispered Rory, realizing what she had to do, "I need to tell you something..."_

_

* * *

  
_

Logan couldn't help but be angry at Rory. Seeing Rory with Jess made his previous thoughts from years prior come back to a boil in his head: Jess is trying to win back Rory, Rory stayed with him out of obligation, he's been an unlikely catalyst in the love story of Jess and Rory...He kept ruminating about it in his head, but chose to distract himself with the two boys across from him. Regardless of anything, Charlie and Jack were worth any love story that he hadn't been involved in. Even though that thought almost made him more angry in a way, their smiling faces didn't let him.

"So Logan, what do you have planned to do today?" asked Lorelai.

"You know, some important things to do. Some work related, some not. On that note, I should actually get going."

"No!" shouted both Jack and Charlie.

Logan got up and hugged both of the boys, giving them kisses on both of their foreheads.

"I'll be back later. Maybe I'll tuck you guys in before you go to bed."

"Promise?" asked Jack.

Logan glanced at Lorelai as she slightlly nodded.

"I promise, you two."

He gave them another hug and kiss, before putting on his wool peacoat draped behind his chair. He thanked Lorelai and Luke for breakfast before exiting out the back door. Breakfast went on as usual after he left, but Rory couldn't stop thinking about how Logan seemed like he couldn't even stand to be in the same room as her. She had thought that they were making progress as a soon to be divorced couple, but Jess and the thoughts of the past definitely caused a setback. Maybe she just should have known better, but it wasn't her fault. Logan cheated.

"He cheated!" said Rory suddenly, thinking outloud.

"Sweets?" asked Lorelai.

Rory looked up from her plate to see the entire table looking at her rather confused.

* * *

_The first instinct that Rory had was to throw anything at him. The first thing that came to mind was the new anniversary ring of which was tainted now. Amazingly, it hit Logan right in the eye, and Rory internally thanked the t-ball her mother made her go to in 3rd grade despite her bad hand-eye coordination. Covering his eye, Logan didn't see the alarm clock glide at his head either. _

_"What the hell, Rory!" shouted Logan._

_"You expect to give me a ring that was sold by Sally, a saleswoman that you had sex with later on that evening. What? Did she then give you a discount or something like that?!" yelled Rory back, throwing a picture frame next, but missing this time._

_"Stop throwing things! You cheated on me too!"_

_"I kissed Jess. That was it. I didn't let it get further than that, because I was under the impression that I was in a faithful marriage!"_

_"Stop yelling, Rory. You're going to wake up the kids."_

_"Maybe you should have thought about that before you cheated on me."_

_"Rory-" said Logan, bolding approaching Rory standing on the other side of the bed. _

_"Just tell me one thing. If I hadn't told you about me and Jess, would you have told me about you and that lady Sally? Sally of all names..."_

_"Honestly? No."_

_Pushing him away, Rory yelled again, "Just get the hell out."_

_

* * *

  
_

Everything came to a head that night, causing a major break in their marriage. They both agreed to marriage counseling, for the kids' sake, but nothing was the same after that. They were never the same, and it all led up to how they were now, separated. Rory continued to shove food in her mouth, but stopped suddenly as she looked at the wedding ring she still had on her left ring finger.

"Mom, can you watch the kids for a bit? I have to go do something."

Sulking in his room at the inn, Logan was about to fall asleep when there was an abrupt set of knocking at his door. He could honestly say that a part of him expected to see Rory there matching the anger he had from before at breakfast.

"It's not like I knew Jess was going to be there."

"I know."

"And it's not like I'm looking for a Logan replacement right now, okay?"

"Okay."

"Here-" said Rory, holding her wedding ring in her palm.

Picking it up, Logan opened his mouth with the intention to say something, but nothing came out.

"You don't get to be angry, Logan. Maybe you can go trade this in at the same place you got it. Say 'hi' to Sally for me."

And with that, Rory turned around and left. Logan closed his palm hard. Any harder and the 2 carat ring would have punctured his skin. Miscommunication was definitely the cause to the downfall to their marriage, but at this point Logan didn't have the will power to communicate. He was emotionally exhausted, so he went to his dresser, set the ring down, picked up the champagne that came with the honeymoon suite (the only room left open), and sat on the bed. Taking a few swigs and laying down, he was about to fall asleep for a nice mid morning nap when he was disrupted yet again by another set of knocking at the door.

This time, he didn't expect to see Rory at the door.

"Back again? I wanted to take a nap."

"I thought you said you were happy."

"I thought I was," whispered Logan, "I mean, I am."

"You are?"

"Maybe. Rory, you don't need to check up on me. We're not together. I have the ring back. Alright then."

"Logan...I still care about you. A lot. Even if we're not together, that's not going to change."

"Good to know."

"So what's going to make you happy? I want to see you happy."

"I don't know..."

"Well, when you figure that out, let me know."

Logan nodded, unable to stop staring and admiring Rory's cerulean eyes glazing back at him. She slightly smirked, nodded as well, and walked away. This time Logan didn't hurriedly shut the door, but stayed at the door frame watching Rory walking away, uncontrollably smiling now as well. Sometimes Rory provoked anger out of Logan, but other times she was able to provoke the complete opposite. But the truth of the matter, the fact that they were no longer together, still hurt Logan in a way that he couldn't understand. He didn't know it now, but that was at the heart of his unhappiness, and being with her would also be at the heart of his happiness.

Deeming the hotel room as a sure fire enabler of depression by loneliness, Logan put the wedding ring in his pocket, and got out. After taking a taxi to Hartford to rent an SUV, he stopped at for a bite to eat at an old diner he used to go to. After eating, he stepped out of the restaurant and took a deep breath of fresh air, knowing that getting out was just what he needed. His eyes settled on a jewelry store directly across the street as his hands went in his pockets, and he felt Rory's ring.

He stepped into the store, and a bell rung. An old woman probably around the age of 80 struggled her way from the back to the front of the store. Her wrinkly face lit up as soon as she saw Logan.

"Why Logan, so nice to see you again!"

"Hey Sally. It's nice to see you again too. I see you're still trucking here with the store. I thought I told you a woman of your age needs some employees."

"I don't need them," laughed Sally.

"I guess you don't."

"Well, what can I do for you this time?"

"I wanted to trade this ring in for maybe a watch."

He placed the ring on the counter, and waited with trepidation.

"I thought I told you that a marriage was forever the last time you were here when you traded that anniversary ring that you bought for Rory in for a watch."

"Well, this isn't the 18th century, Sally."

"Smartass. I'll see what I can do."

* * *

**May 17th, 2009**

**Hi. So I know I'm a big liar lol. I said that I was going to be like a normal author, and have regular updates. I'm sorry. Life is so unpredictable, and so are my updates. I'm going to try to get a new chapter up by the end of this week. I kind of got empowered by this other story I wrote for the show "Chuck" (in marketing, I think they call this cross-selling), and so right after I wrote that story, I wrote a new chapter to this one. **

**Also, I know a lot of you guys were all mad about Logan cheating when the last chapter went up. I think someone said that cheating is unforgivable. True. I said that I had an idea up my sleeve, and here it was. Logan didn't cheat. I hope that was obvious to you guys, unless you think he would cheat with an 80 year old woman. Logan was hurt. Finding out that Rory kind of sneaked around with Jess made Logan think he was merely intruding on the love story between Jess and Rory, and that he was just a waste of time. **

**More will be explained about that in the next chapter. I've got a few more tricks up my sleeve. I know by now you guys are probably dying for Rory to find out that he never cheated. We'll see. Just bear with me, and the story.**

**Thanks a bunch as always. Don't forget to review.**

**Sam.  
**


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